Author Topic: I've tried Everything. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. (Read 1365 times)

Duckster · « **on:** August 13, 2000, 01:35:00 PM »

I've tried everthing. It's just no go. I can't play Aces for more than 1 hour at a time, sometimes not even 5 minutes. Whether it be online or not, I get a hard lockup that completely disables the computer. I have to unplug the thing to get it to restart, no keyboard input or power button will ever bring it back. Very healthy indeed.

I crawled through these message boards for solutions. I found a few answers, but none of them really work.

A list of what I remember doing:

* My computer has no conflicting IRQs. I have checked and written them all down, then looked in the bios to doublecheck. No problems there. I have disabled USB, Com ports, etc. that are not being used. Still screwed.

* I have the lastest drivers for my video card (Detonator for TNT 16mb), sound card (Ensoniq), and modem (USR 56k, yuck).

* I did a complete clean install of win 98 a week ago plus defrag various times.

* I've installed Aces three times, completely cleaning the computer of the program each time.

* Nor the processor (p2 333) or the video card is overclocked.

* I'm running DirectX 7.0a as indicated.

* Joystick with poll interupts is unchecked.

* When I run the game, only explorer and systray are running.

* I'm running the game with the same colour depth and resolution as the desktop (1024x768x16). Makes no difference between 32 and 16 bit, but that shouldn't be the point.

To tell you the bitter truth, it gets to the point that I'm unwilling to continue paying for a game that despite all my attempts, does not run. I really, really like the game, but it takes too much of my time & patience in a bad sort of way to warrant any further input on my part.

I found that there is absolutely no correlation between how long the game plays for and any changes that I make. The time I unchecked poll interupts allowed me to play the game for about 1 hr 15 mins, then locked (hard) up. The next time I played, it was only for 20 minutes, with the same result. Another time, it was about a half hour.

I've never had a problem with a 3d accelerated game that couldn't be fixed. And most of those were known issues, and certainly none of the fixes were any of the ones mentioned above. Logically enough, as and much as I would like to deny it, I think the game is broken.

So, if anybody has anything they would like to add to my list of "fixes" that doesn't involve a new computer, please feel free to post. If there aren't any, then perhaps I should search for an alternative multiplayer experience with less points for frustration.

air_guard · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2000, 01:46:00 PM »

well ive been in the same situation and this might explain it look at the links under and try out blackice defender2.1 (antihack program)

well what can explain the time of lockups so diffrent can be an hacking attempt.
ive had 7 attempt of this the last 2 days and as the program said it can lock up and crash youre pc.

hacking report here: http://advice.networkice.com/advice/Intrusions/2000318/?port=1673|1689&flags=FAU&options=

blackice main site here: http://www.networkice.com/

dont know if this is a problem but worth chekcing out

airguard

Duckster · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2000, 04:08:00 PM »

I doubt that is the problem. My lock-ups occur both in off-line and on-line modes. I wouldn't claim to know too much about internet attacks, but I believe it would be difficult to do anything without an IP address of a client (of an attack...). That's a seperate incident altogether, and if I really thought that was the problem, I would speak to my service provider. Still, I don't think that's the issue.

air_guard · « **Reply #3 on:** August 13, 2000, 06:05:00 PM »

ok ive heard that it cant be the problem too just wanna check cause i have no idea what to do now

airguard

Duckster · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2000, 06:20:00 PM »

Well, you might want to try to the list of things that I mentioned. I'm not sure what your setup is, but some of these seem to have worked for a number of people. From what I've read altogether, most of the lockups appeared just after patch 4. I can't really comment on that, as I've just joined. It would be good to try a previous version of the game to see if the problems that I'm having were related to that patch. I'm the first to admit that I wrote the first post under some degree of....stress.

"I just want to play".

Duckster

hitech · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2000, 04:12:00 PM »

Duckster try sliding the hardwar acceleration slider down one knotch once. Its under the advanced option on your video properties.

HiTech

Duckster · « **Reply #6 on:** August 14, 2000, 05:23:00 PM »

Hitech,

I just tried that out. Online, I got as far as the hangar after changing fields once, and then it locked up. I guess it was about 3 or 4 minutes. In offline mode, I was moving from the hangar to the plane when it locked up, but I still had audio. Well, by audion I mean a sample of the engine start-up wav repeating itself over and over again. Had to unplug the machine. I thought maybe I would decrease directx audio acceleration notch by notch to see what happened. Also one of the lockups occured when I was offline in external mode and the second I released drop tanks it happened. Could have been purely coincidence though...

Anyways, I appreciate your help. I will keep trying. I did get this from a fellow gamer that I thought could be useful:

"I had exactly the same thing happening to me in game and out of game.

I switched to a Cable Modem this week....no lock-ups yet. I haven't really done anything different or tried to track it down since.

What I did find out...

is that an ABIT BH6 <my MB> is picky about high IRQ request items in some slots. So, for that MB, they suggest slot 2&3 for the modem and other high IRQ stuff.

Just so happens I have a USR modem too. Haven't checked what slot it's in since the Cable Modem and this new info sort of all arrived at once.

Something to check for though, with your particular MB.

Good Luck!

Toad"

Duckster

Duckster · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2000, 06:46:00 PM »

I disabled DirectX sound acceleration altogether and I was able to play online for about 45 minutes. Just as I was on my 3rd b17 run on an airfield, it locked up, but without audio. I really thought I had it then.

Lephturn · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2000, 07:44:00 PM »

Ok, I may be out to lunch here... but try this:

1. Open case... make sure all fans are turning and air is moving for CPU cooler and power supply fan.

2. Test it by leaving case open, and with a big huge fan blowing on it if you have one.

When nothing else seems to be a problem, sometimes heat can be the culprit. It's worth a shot anyway.

------------------
Lephturn - Chief Trainer
A member of The Flying Pigs http://www.flyingpigs.com

"My P-47 is a pretty good ship, she took a round coming 'cross the Channel last trip.
Just thinking 'bout my baby and lettin' her rip, always got me through so far."
- Steve Earl

Duckster · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2000, 07:58:00 PM »

I might try that. Surely if that was the problem it would have happened with other cpu/graphics intensive games as well. I've run Falcon and EAW (can I say that here?) with no problems. This is a Gateway that I've had for a long time now; I would have thought that they'd take care of that.

I will check though. Thanks for your help Lephturn.

Duckster · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2000, 01:03:00 PM »

Go fish.

Pyro · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2000, 04:21:00 PM »

Have you checked your system for viruses, etc?

------------------
Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

Duckster · « **Reply #12 on:** August 15, 2000, 04:49:00 PM »

I did one with Norton about a week ago but I uninstalled it because I understood from a thread in this message board that it could cause problems with the game. I just ran one of the Mcaffee ones and it turned out ok.
Actually, today I ran the game for 45 minutes without a problem online, but I had checked poll with interupts this time. Again, not sure if they're related but I will try again tonight to see if I can run it for longer.

Thanks again all.

Duckster

Rocket · « **Reply #13 on:** August 15, 2000, 06:28:00 PM »

I know that I have to run my system with the side of the case off. Each one of my video cards has a fan but I just can't pull enough air through my system. On alot of things it is just fine but when I start getting huge grahpics work outs like AH it will lockup tight in no time.

I do wish ya luck with the problem and hope ya pass along

S!
Rocket

StSanta · « **Reply #14 on:** August 15, 2000, 06:37:00 PM »

My puter freezes/locksup in AH when the cpu gets too hot. AH is quite sensitive to it for some reason.

I suspect that the prob is heat.

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StSanta
JG54 "Grünherz"
"If you died a stones throw from your wingie; you did no wrong". - Hangtime